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Nothing beats a homemade lemon curd. It’s fresh, creamy, and smooth, not overly sweet, and without any additives and preservatives.
I can’t tell you how tempted I was to just grab a jar of lemon curd when I was at the grocery store, but then when I looked at the ingredient list, immediately I put it down. This homemade lemon curd only has 5 ingredients. Ingredients that you recognize immediately and most likely have in your pantry already.
Ingredients and substitutions
1. Unsalted butter
If you use salted butter, you can skip the salt. I recommend using unsalted butter though, because I’m not sure if the butter in the salt would make it too savory
2. Lemon juice and lemon zest
I use Meyer lemon as the title suggested, but you can use any lemon. DO NOT use a store-bought lemon juice, however. You will be disappointed with the result. It’s just not the same compared to using freshly squeezed lemon juice (I’ve tried!)
3. Sugar
I use granulated sugar. You can use caster sugar too
4. Eggs
I usually use large eggs, about 58 grams if weighed with the shell
5. Salt
I use a small pinch of fine sea salt
Easy Homemade Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 80 g lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp Lemon zest or more if you want it more zesty
- 100 g egg yolks from 5 large egg yolks
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 113 g unsalted butter cut into small pats
Instructions
- Cut the butter into small pats and keep it chilled in the fridge while you prepare other things.
- Zest the lemon before you cut and juice. Make sure not to zest the white part of the skin as that part is bitter. Set the zest aside.
- Zest the lemon to get the juice and then strain the juice to get rid of any pulps so the curd will be smoother (with an exception of some flecks from the zest, which is supposed to be there).
- Put the granulated sugar along with the lemon zest in a food processor or a blender and give it a pulse a few times to make the texture fine. The reason why we do this, so that you get some oil from the lemon zest
- Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a heavy-bottom saucepan to combine. Put this over medium-low heat, more towards the low and constantly stirring with a spatula until the mixture coats the back of the spatula, about 10 minutes or so. Cook a bit longer if it hasn't coated the back of the spatula.
- Remove from the heat and add the butter one pat at a time and keep stirring until the butter melts before adding another one. If you want a REALLY smooth lemon curd, you can strain the mixture to get rid of the flecks from the zest. But I don't mind it. It's your call!
- Transfer to a clean jar with a fittin-lid. Cover with a cling wrap, touching the curd directly to prevent skin from forming. Put this in the fridge to let it chill for at least 3-4 hours. Remove the plastic wrap and then secure with the lid. It can be stored in the fridge for about 2 weeks
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
How to make easy Meyer Lemon Curd
1. Cut the butter into small pats and keep it chilled in the fridge while you prepare other things.
2. Zest the lemon before you cut and juice. Make sure not to zest the white part of the skin as that part is bitter. Set the zest aside.
3. Juice the lemon and then strain the juice to get rid of any pulps so the curd will be smoother (except for some flecks from the zest, which is supposed to be there).
4. Put the granulated sugar along with the lemon zest in a food processor or a blender and give it a pulse a few times to make the texture fine. The reason why we do this, so that you get some oil from the lemon zest
5. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a heavy-bottom saucepan to combine. 
6. Put this over medium-low heat, more towards the low and constantly stirring with a spatula until the mixture coats the back of the spatula, about 10 minutes or so. Cook a bit longer if it hasn’t coated the back of the spatula.
7. Remove from the heat and add the butter one pat at a time and keep stirring until the butter melts before adding another one. 
8. If you want a REALLY smooth lemon curd, you can strain the mixture to get rid of the flecks from the zest. But I don’t mind it. It’s your call!
9. Transfer to a clean jar. Cover with a cling wrap, touching the curd directly to prevent skin from forming. Put this in the fridge to let it chill for at least 3-4 hours.
Did you make this easy Meyer lemon curd recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag it to show me what you’ve made. Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
